Cisco Systems CX-TRIP2, CX-TRIP4 manual Token Ring Physical Connections

Product Description

Figure 3 Token Ring Type 3 Lobe Cable Connectors, DB-9 and RJ-11 Types

TRIP end

MAU end

H2055

Token Ring Physical Connections

The term Token Ring refers to both IBM’s Token Ring Network, which IBM developed in the 1970s, and to IEEE 802.5 networks. The IEEE 802.5 specification was modeled after, and still closely shadows, IBM’s network. The two types are compatible, although the specifications differ slightly.

Token Ring and IEEE 802.5 are token passing networks, which move a small frame, called a token, around the network. Possession of the token grants the right to transmit; a station with information to transmit must wait until it detects a free token passing by.

The IBM Token Ring specifies a star topology, with all end stations connected through a device called a multistation access unit (MSAU). IEEE 802.5 does not specify any topology, although most implementations are based on a star configuration with end stations attached to a device called a media access unit (MAU). Also, IBM Token Ring specifies twisted-pair cabling, whereas IEEE

802.5does not specify media type. Most Token Ring networks use shielded twisted-pair cabling; however, some networks that operate at 4 Mbps use unshielded twisted-pair cable. Table 1 shows a comparison of the two types.

Table 1 IBM Token Ring and IEEE 802.5 Comparison

						Access
Network Type	Data Rates	Stations/ Segment	Topology	Media	Signaling	Method	Encoding
IBM Token Ring	4, 16 Mbps	260 shielded twisted-pair	Star	Twisted	Baseband	Token passing	Differential
network		72 unshielded twisted-pair		pair			Manchester
IEEE 802.5 network	4, 16 Mbps	250	Not	Not	Baseband	Token passing	Differential
			specified	specified			Manchester

4Token Ring Interface Processor (TRIP) Installation and Configuration